AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She won’t be a problem anymore,” I lie, sliding over a stack of gold.
His eyes drift from the coins up to my face and back again and he rattles off the details. I scrutinize him carefully for signs of subterfuge but see none. He’s telling the truth as far as I can tell, and I don’t have time to wait around if he’s not.
Not when we already knew they were headed to Delphine. I just needed to be sure.
I spin around, intending to make my way to our ship only to find Einar frozen, shock coating his features. When I follow his gaze, my chest tightens, my knees threatening to buckle.
Three figures are swimming up to the harbor, one with bright turquoise hair, and the others…Impossible.
I should know better than to use that word where my wife is concerned. Or Zaina, for that matter. The woman has come back from the dead before.
Natia swims with incredible speed, reaching the edge of the dock in half the time it takes us to sprint there. Then, she’s gone before I can even thank her, disappearing from the prying eyes of the harbor.
Einar bends to pull his shaking wife out of the water, and I’m right beside him, plucking Aika out. She’s pale and shivering, her sodden gown clinging to her. I call out for blankets from the naval ship, pulling her against me for warmth.
Einar sinks to his knees beside me, this giant beast of a king. He cradles Zaina in his arms and whispers over and over that she’s safe while she trembles violently and buries her face in his chest.
I don’t blame him. A part of me threatens to do the same. Somehow, I am able to force myself to remain standing, running my hands up and down my wife's body, checking her for injuries.
“Are you hurt?” I ask, surprised at how even my voice sounds.
“Wouldn’t…force you…to wake up to…a corpse,” she forces out through her chattering teeth.
A ghost of a smile crosses my lips, but it quickly turns into a wince at the wordcorpse.
There have been too many of those today, and she has no idea. No idea that I was holding my breath every single second she was gone, praying she wouldn’t be counted among them.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I bring my lips to her freezing skin, muttering a string of what I’m sure is mostly nonsense.
That I’m here and she’s safe and I won’t let her get taken again. Ever.
When someone brings us the blankets I asked for, I wrap her up then scoop her into my arms. I hold her so tight against me that there is no possible way someone could pry her from my hands.
“I’m taking you home,” I whisper down to her, daring her to argue with my choice of words.
But she only gives me a wan imitation of a smile, curling herself further into me before she nods.
“All right, Remy. Take me home.”
CHAPTERSIXTY-NINE
AIKA
Two Weeks Later
“Remy.” I say his name softly, but he doesn’t immediately look up.
He’s staring at the signet ring on his hand. His father’s ring. The ring of the king.
I dismiss the servants before coming to stand in front of my husband, gently placing my hands over his and obscuring his view of the hefty band and its many implications.
“It’s time to go,” I tell him.
He finally lifts his gaze, cinnamon eyes boring into mine. There is a desperation in them that has been clearer every day since he carried me home from the harbor.
“And you’ll be?” he asks.
“At your side,” I say with finality.
